Politicians “need to do more”…
1 February 2019

75% of the Northern Ireland public feel that politicians need to do more to protect wildlife and nature (via Nature Matters NI)

Politicians in Northern Ireland need to be doing more to protect wildlife and nature according to a new YouGov poll[1].

Members of the public were asked if they thought political parties in Northern Ireland should be doing more, doing less or doing the right amount to protect the country’s wildlife and nature. 75% of total respondents said that they needed to do more.

Spokesperson for Nature Matters NI Anne–Marie McDevitt said:

“The vast majority of people that responded to our poll feel that politicians are not doing enough to protect our wildlife and nature. In the past 50 years, we have lost wildlife at an alarming rate, with one fifth of all our species[2] in NI at risk of extinction. It is clear from this poll that people in Northern Ireland want to see our leaders stand up for nature.

“The environment is either absent or low down the agenda of the main political parties, yet a healthy environment, which includes flourishing wildlife, is key to our health, wellbeing and our economy. This poll shows that the political parties are very much out of step with the public when it comes to the environment.

“People expect politicians to act in the best interests of the environment, to protect the species and habitats valued by their ancestors for generations. We must see legislation being brought forward, preferably by a restored Assembly, that halts the dangerous decline of Northern Ireland’s species.”

ENDS

N.B. A copy of the 2016 State of Nature Report demonstrating the decline rate of wildlife can be found here.

1. All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Plc. Total sample size was
502 adults. Fieldwork was undertaken between 2nd – 7th November 2018. The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all Northern Irish adults (aged 18+).

2. A copy of the 2016 State of Nature Report demonstrating the decline rate of wildlife can be found here.